Island



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. GARD.

LETTER BOX.

No. 462,653. Patented Nov.3,1891.

(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2.

E. GARD.

LETTER B0X.

No. 462,653. Patented Nov. 3, 1891.

me mums pen-.ns co., pmmmrmo., msmsnron. v. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDIVARD CARD, OF PAIVTUOKET, RHODE ISLAND.

LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 462,653, dated November 3, 1891.

Application filed April 25, 1891. Serial No, 390,498. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Beit known that I, EDWARD CARD, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Pawtucket, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Letter-Boxes, of which the following is a specification. A

In the delivery ot' letters by letter-carriers it is desirable to provide a convenient and readily-accessible receptacle for the letters and papers, whereby the time required to deliver the mail in the carriers district will be lessened, thus greatly increasing the efficiency of the service; and my invention consists in the improved construction and arrangement of the letter-box whereby the service of the letter-carrier will be greatly facilitated.

Figure l represents a front view, with a portion of the case broken away to show the interior of the upper portion of the box. Fig. 2 represents a vertical section showing the box in its closed condition. Fig'. 3 represents a vertical section of the box in its opened condition.

In the accompanying drawings, a represen ts the back portion of the case, by means of which the letter-box can be attached to the door or door-frame.

l is the bottom of the case, and c the front, to which are hinged the letter-containing boxes B B, one of which may be used for the delivery and the other for the collection of letters, the said boxes being provided with a window c', through which the contents ofthe box can be seen from the outside. The upper portion of the case A is provided with a curved top d, which is attached to the ends e e, and to the said ends, at the point f, is pivoted the curved cover g, which passes under the top d, as shown in Fig. 3, the said cover g, top d, and the floor 7L forming an elongated chamber E, adapted for the reception of newspapers, the letters being deposited in -the boxes B B.

To the back of the boxes B B are attached the parallel guides vl t', which serve to guide the sliding plate j, from which connection is made to the rear edge of the pivoted cover g by means of the curved rod m, the said rod being preferably pivoted to the rear edge 7c and guided at the point n, a connecting-rod fm being provided foreach of the boxes B I3;

but when the said boxes are connected to each other, so as to move as one, a single connecting-rod m may be employed. The forward edge'of the pivoted cover g is provided with the tongue o, which engages with the bolt of the loclt F to hold the letter-containing boxes I3 3 and the cover g in their closed position.

Upon t-he arrival of the letter-carrier at the delivering-station he first inserts his key into the lock F to withdraw the locking-bolt from the tongue o. He then, by means ofthe flange p, presses back the pivoted cover g, which backward movement serves to cause the forward projection of the upper ends of the letter-containing boxes B B, and after depositing the letters in one of the boxes B and the papers in the chamber E he collects the letters from the other box B and closes the cover g, by means of which the boxes B B will be brought to their closed position, as shown in Fig. 2, and in order to provide for the transmission of a proper signal into the house, so that the occupants may know that the mail has been delivered at the box, I provide the battery-wires r s, which are connected with an electric bell at a suitable location in the building, and to the insulated end of the wire fr within the chamber E is attached the spring q, which upon the engagement of the edge k of the pivoted cover g therewith will be forced into Contact with the insulated end of the wire s, thus making an electric connection from the battery G to the signalbell to ring the same.

I claim as my inventionl. A letter-box provided with a chamber having a pivoted circular cover adapted for movement under the top of the case, and one or more tilting boxes connected with the pivoted circular cover, whereby upon the backward movement of the said cover under the top of the case the tilting box will be thrown outward at its upper end, substantially as described.

2. A letter-box provided with a chamber having a pivoted circular cover which is adapted for movement under the top of the case, a tilting box connected with the pivoted circular cover by means of a connectingrod and a sliding joint, whereby upon the backward movement of the said cover under IOO the top of the case the tilting box Will be Ward movement of the said cover the tilting thrown outward at its upper end, substanboX will be thrown outward at its upper end, zo

tialiy as described. and a lock for fastening the pivoted cover,

3. A letter-box provided with a chamber substantially as described. 5 having a pivoted circular cover Which is EDWARD CARD.

adapted for movement under the top of` the \Vitnesses: case, a tilting box connected with the piv- S. SCHOLFIELD, oted circular cover, so that upon the back- CHARLES F. SCHMELZ. 

